Forever (Cross-Worlders Short Sub-Story)
by StrikerStanding692
Summary: Itami's death should have been simple. But Rory felt something strong for Itami, and now she's given a chance to save his own soul. Joining her is Tuka, and together they will find his killer, and avenge him. But what happens after? (Probably AU, read all about it)
1. Chapter 1

_**Guys, I'm putting up another fanfict, and it's called "Cross-Worlders." This is one bonus story, supposedly a prequel before the actual Cross-Worlders story. If ya wanna understand at least SOME characters, read this first. ;)**_

 _ **Anyway, the reference is definitely taken from GATE: JIEITAI KANO CHI NITE and it is an awesome Manga and Anime series, so it's one of the reasons why I'm taking X-over characters to the Cross-Worlders series. And yes... it's also part of my Sky Dreadnought universe, so it won't be far. Yes... getting pretty close to something explosive.**_

 _ **And... yeah... I don't own GATE. Here we go!**_

 _ **Shorty, but there will be a next chapter after this. This might end up with only a few chapters before it's complete. Cross-Worlders will be released soon, so enjoy this one first! ;)**_

* * *

 ** _Forever_**

 _Reference from_ _Gate_ : _Jieitai_ Kano Chi nite

Disclaimer: The reference material ain't mine. :P

 ** _Rory –_** _I thought it was over._

Rory Mercury's eyes were widened. She knows her own emotions should be negative… but she just had wide eyes after seeing the horror.

 _I thought when I was going southward from the gate that I'd see Youji alive… but I was wrong. It's 2 years after he and Lelei were entrusted with the responsibility of opening and closing the gate. He had to get there to see a disturbance resolved, only to end in horror. I clearly saw his body, halved… beaten… Everything I didn't want him to be, I saw._

 _Yes… he was dead, and right in front of me. But why?_

 _…Why didn't I feel it?_

Without any other thought, Rory kneeled down to examine Itami's battered corpse. Putting a hand forward while putting a brave face, she touched Itami's face, and eventually getting to his wide and now, dull eyes, and slid them close for him. "I'm sorry… Youji…" She muttered this, knowing she could have gone with him. No… He insisted he do this himself, but even he didn't know his own fate. And she was too late to stop it.

 ** _2 days later… 0915 hours…_**

After finally getting Itami's body back across the gate, Rory went straight back to her world from the gate. But it didn't close as she came there, however. Another person came through the gate, and it was none other than Tuka.

"Oh?" Rory was intrigued, seeing Tuka in her gear, and she even had a bow and quiver of arrows on her back. "Going somewhere?"

Tuka felt furious at Rory, but maintained composure while standing in place. "You know where."

Rory then got serious. "You're not going with me."

"Yes I am, Rory."

"You don't know the kind of nightmare you'll see. The creature itself isn't fit for fighting you."

"I know you meant the other way around. Rory… I'm not stupid. But even as a demigoddess, you don't have the right to stop me! I treated Itami like my father… okay?!"

"I see. Then how would he feel if you were right next to him…" Rory then gripped her Halberd tight as she placed it on her side. "…right now?" And she saw Tuka ready to defend herself. This made Rory chuckle. "Hehe… Silly elf." But as Rory was about to turn back, Tuka suddenly spun the demigoddess back in facing her, and a hand was lifted to Rory's face.

 _First time… and maybe it could be her last mistake._ Rory then drops her halberd, letting it slam to the ground while the ground shook a little. Her lips then blackened, while she made a weak smile on her. _Or maybe I could just make things interesting. She could either walk away, or I'll let her be a little burden, even for me._ Rory suddenly faced Tuka, grabbed her shirt before she pushed the elf down with her back, slamming the ground hard. Now Rory is over Tuka, with her face close fitted with a deathly glare she always put up for anyone who's worth her time.

"Listen to me closely." Rory whispered to Tuka, now letting some tears out, but still is furious. "I know you want to avenge him… but he wouldn't like it."

"I was healed… My own mind was healed. How would you know that?"

"Oh, I know every feeling there is to know about me and my past life, especially repaying someone before their life ended. I once owed them too… and I repaid every single thing I owe before I came to know you. Tuka… He's not lost. At least… Not yet." Rory spoke of this calmly at the elf, and of course, Tuka was surprised of it. What did it mean? "There's some hope to get him back."

"Wait, what?"

"However… He will never be the same again. It's going to be my responsibility." Rory then gets off Tuka and stands before offering her hand, now with normal-colored lips shown. "Will you listen?"

Tuka then took Rory's hand and was helped up by the demigoddess. She wipes her eyes from her tears. "Fine, tell me."

"His soul. When I sensed it while he was at his world, I sensed it never moved from him. Usually… souls are supposed to attend to a god, claiming responsibility for his own life and reliving another. But his soul never moved to any god in existence. I took it temporarily at first to examine it, and I realized why: He doesn't know where to go. He wasn't sure as to who he'd turn to: A god from this world, or from his."

"Wait… You're not making sense… I thought he's…"

"You see… Partly it might have been my fault." Rory frowned at this. "You see… I felt something for him… and I accidentally included in one of my prayers his name. The prayer itself involved his safe passage to Emloy after his death. So…"

"You couldn't have made that mistake if there wasn't a reason. I mean… You're… You don't love a mortal since you'll ascend to a goddess anyway."

"Exactly. THAT, is my own sin as to why it happened." Rory then looked at Tuka, now getting what it meant.

"Hold up… You… You love him?"

"Do you hold something against it?"

"No."

"Then don't start." Rory turned her back from Tuka. "It's my fault. I'll have to do what I can for him. His soul is lost. I'm going to offer him to Emloy. Then when I become a goddess, I shall make sure he goes directly to me."

"To you…?"

"Tuka… He wants to be free. He's not given his peace after his life was cut short, and I have to help him."

Tuka knew however, that Rory meant something else. "You're just going to make him an apostle like you are."

Rory turns her head to Tuka and smirks before re-acquiring her halberd. "Is it a bad thing?"

"To Emloy, it might be."

"Then I won't stop defending for Youji. I'm all he has now." Rory was then walking away from Tuka.

"Rory, it won't change my decision." Tuka said it before Rory stopped walking. "I won't stop you from stealing Itami's soul for apostleship. I just want to see his killer dead. Whether it's you or me who does it first. Whatever happens, Itami's yours."

"Oh?" Rory looked back with a smile. "Is he?"

"Just take care of him." Tuka frowned, knowing what she's saying would mean Itami could live, but as another person.

Rory's smile went wider as she saw Tuka's emotion relating to sympathy. "There's more to that, is there?"

"What?"

"Never mind. Hehe…" Rory then walked towards Tuka while her lips blackened again. "Give me your arm."

"What?"

"Give… me… your… ARM." Rory then took Tuka's arm before she suddenly neared her head to it and bit the arm's flesh. She heard Tuka screaming briefly before pulling it away from Rory. Rory then licked the blood off, now satisfied of what she's done.

"What did you just do?" But Tuka was answered by a giggle. "No… I'm not going to let you take all my pain!"

"No… It's completely different, Tuka. This time… I won't lie. I've put something… to ensure your assistance is worth it. Part of my power has been transferred to you. I'm not going to like it if you lose your life."

"And if I did?"

"Then you'll be a nuisance while you're an apostle of mine as well. I won't have it." Rory said it, and it pissed Tuka off for some reason.

But Tuka calmed down for that. "You better not mean it."

"I do."

"You're so mean, Rory!"

"Hehe…" The demigoddess was amused of this, even seeing Tuka wipe the blood off her arm with a piece of cloth. "I'm saying, you don't need to die."

"Should I say the same for you?"

"I don't care. I can't die… not for the nature of what I'll be next, and never for Youji."

"Fine… so where are we going?" Tuka's question was immediately answered as Rory started walking.

"You'll find out. You have things with you?"

"I got what I have." Tuka then followed Rory, walking close behind. "Will you be going through where Yao's living now?"

"I will."

"Then if I need anything, I'll just ask. Thanks for being concerned, Rory. And thanks for letting me come."

"You're welcome. After all, you'll try to avenge someone, and so will I. It's best we make it even." Rory's words were something else now, to Tuka.

 _Indeed I've changed a bit. I have for many times. If it's simply for Youji, then it won't be bad. My time is coming, so this might just be the right thing to do. I'll not only avenge him… but I'll be having his soul as my own._

 _Hold on for a bit longer, Youji. You'll be under my care soon…_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Cross-Worlders is coming... and soon, I hope. If you don't know Brianna, I'll be posting her OC Details once I publish it officially on my page. It'll be on a header so no worries there.**_

 _ **Anyway, here's part 2 of my bonus prequel story. Enjoy ;)**_

* * *

 _ **Rory –**_ _I was about to kill for vengeance… not justice. (giggles)_

 _For all the years I have lived as a demigoddess, I always had a sense of justice, especially when I was an apostle of Emloy. My past life didn't matter after I let time pass on me. My old life only left my body to have a thirteen-year-old's body, a consolation to me being a transformed demigoddess._

 _And for the first time, I'm doing something for vengeance. I know. You might think that I'm simple, but if I'm going to live still among mortals, at least one of them should know what I could be made of when I'm angry._

 _Right now, I'm calm. I'm collected._

 _However if I face the creature that killed Youji… I will smile…_

… _and let blood flow._

 _ **A small camp at the autumn forest… 1554 hours…**_

Some dark elves have settled at a camp where surrounding trees were also climbed on for reconnaissance reasons. Yao was only one of the dark elves there. But as she was visited by Rory and Tuka, the reasons why they came in shocked her, even bringing all three into Yao's own tent…

 _ **Yao's tent…**_

"TUKA, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Yao shouted at Tuka while all of them were seated on the fabric of the tent on their legs. "I can understand a demigoddess about to take on such creature, but you?!"

"What? What should I know about the creature?" Tuka asked, seeing that even Yao seemed to disapprove of her plan.

"You don't know, do you?" Yao asked, now looking at the demigoddess for anything, and received a nod in response. ' _So Tuka doesn't really know? And Rory wants me to tell?_ ' Yao sighed at this, letting the burden of telling Tuka about the creature fall on her. "I get it. Maybe I should tell about the creature indeed."

 _ **Yao –**_ _And I promise you… You won't like the tale, and the description of the creature. The creature is often called 'The Mystic Scorpio.' Why? It's simply because it appears at night and lets itself, if exposed, be the evil incarnate of everyone who sees it…_

 _ **At a small village partly on fire… recently raided by brigands… 2315 hours…**_

"Hehe…" A bandit was laughing while tossing and catching a bag with coins inside. "Just an easy raid, don't ya think?"

"Are you joking? They never stood a chance." Another brigand replied like a friend to the first.

"So what's next?"

"Obviously… We'll be raiding again the next day!"

"Another one?"

"Of course! Hahaha!" The duo had laughed after their plans were made, but they were shaken by a piercing scream and roar of something in darkness. With the fire around them, even they couldn't see clearly what was outside the burning village.

As one of the men was holding a torch and going far from his group to see what the sound was the same piercing scream was heard before dark crab-like claws jumped forward, along with the sinister dark body of a scorpion, with a height of 9 feet but very wide thanks to its size. Its claw grabbed the torch-bearing man and lifted him, before clasping so tightly that blood sprayed from the man as a brief scream was heard from him. The other brigands later saw the corpse thrown at them. Later, the creature unleashed hell as it picked the other brigands one by one, spraying the blood of others in its wake…

 _It doesn't sleep even in the dead of night… while it hunts those who do the exact sins that Emloy allows. Rory, you know whose role that is… right?_

 _ **Rory –**_ _Yes. Hardy's creature seems to mock me. But nobody ever defeated the Mystic Scorpio, even his apostle Giselle._

 _ **Tuka –**_ _That creature belonged to Hardy?!_

The huge-clawed crustacean Ancient clasped tight on another man before he was cut to half, not even hearing his own demise in his voice, but fell to the ground instead. Its green eyes shined before it growled softly, just before it crawled away…

 _I can't believe it… Hardy's creature… Was he a pet of some sort? And why would he wreak havoc like this?_

 _ **Back in Yao's tent, Autumn Forest… 1608 hours…**_

Rory sighed at the question Tuka gave. "It's because Hardy discarded it. It's been 60 years now. Yao has been telling us quite the cycle really lets it loose. Every 10 years, it awakens. And every 2 days, it attacks towns continuously before it hibernates. Why is it doing this? It's angry for being discarded. And now it's making its own life here. For 30 years, the Mystic Scorpio makes life. Now that 60 years has passed, she's making her second life of her own."

"It bears children?" Yao asked, finding this new information. "A mother now…"

"Yes. Poor girl."

"Then that means its first child could have been at the right age of…"

"No. The creature's children, if bore here in this land or another, takes time to grow, unlike an animal's normal rate of growth. And right now, it might just be half its size and faster since the offspring is smaller, making it more of a threat."

Tuka knew where this was going. "You're going to execute the first offspring as well?"

"It has to be done. Hardy made this mess before since I refused this. He's expecting me to finish his own creation so he could try and kill me while I'm a demigoddess."

"And you knew this?! Thanks to that pet… Ugh… I can't believe he would…"

"Calm down, Tuka."

"NO, RORY! HARDY COULD HAVE BEEN OUT OF OUR WAY BUT HE GOT OUR ITAMI KILLED!" Tuka screamed it out before she stood up and didn't want to take it any further. So she walked out, and was heard cursing in frustration.

Yao shook her head at what happened to Tuka. "This is going to test her emotions like what happened before we worked together in killing the fire dragon back then."

"It's not going to be a problem, since I'm letting her stay here, Yao." Rory's idea, seemed rather preposterous to Yao.

"But she can't be left here."

"I gave her a piece of my power only for her to survive, but what else would happen afterwards? I can still make the decision whether she comes or not, Yao. If she's emotionally tested, she needs to be ready. And frankly, I don't have any time until she does."

"Hmph." Yao seemed a bit disappointed to hear Rory's view. "So you just want to leave it like that?"

"Seeing she's not able to handle emotions like the thing that paralyzed her…"

"Her father died before, Rory."

"It's the same." Rory then stood up from where she sat. "And if she won't show improvement before my time for leaving, then I have to leave her, or she'll be dead-weight." Rory smirked at Yao before walking out of the tent…

 _ **1912 hours…**_

" _And if she won't show improvement before my time for leaving, then I have to leave her, or she'll be dead-weight._ " Rory's voice was heard in an echo before Tuka opened her eyes.

The elf's back was against a tree and was seated on a branch while light coming from the camp lit where she was. "Dead-weight, huh?" She muttered this to herself, not sure of what to feel. Sure it might have been from her, or it could have been a bad remark from Rory. But even she can't judge. Either she does or not, it doesn't change the fact she granted she was a mess.

" _ **Heard me, have you?**_ " Rory's voice startled Tuka as the elf looked at the demigoddess was standing at the base of the tree. Instead of answering, the elf looked away. "I meant many things about it."

"Shut up." Tuka muttered to herself, but she didn't know the demigoddess heard of what she spoke.

Rory knew Tuka might be furious at her and decided to talk her down. "Tuka… Do you want to come? Really?" And asking this question, Rory received a brief glance from Tuka, before she looked away again. "You can answer me, can't you?"

"Answer your own question." Tuka's mutter was heard again and it made Rory smile sinisterly.

"Oh." Rory lowered her head with her smile still there, now blackening her lips as she was about to exhibit her power again. She handled her big halberd with one hand. "I see." She muttered before she spun and swung the halberd and cleanly sliced the tree's trunk, later letting the tree slowly fall off. Tuka knew it was about to happen and she jumped off the branch before the tree would tip over.

Landing on her feet, Tuka saw and sensed the tree fall down to one side, not hitting anyone or anything else in the process. And as she laid her eyes on Rory, who just put her halberd back at her shoulder like she always does, the elf showed being upset. "You…"

Rory's lips went back to its normal color. "Do I have your attention?" And her question came in coincidentally with Tuka holding her bow while she grabbed an arrow from her quiver, before the elf readied an arrow on the bow. "What's this?"

Tuka then aimed her arrow at Rory with a tight pull on her bow. "What do you think?"

"I can't die with a mere arrow. And did you know that if you try, you'd get cut up?"

"I don't care. Why, Rory? Why did you even let me come if you won't let me try killing it?"

"It's because you don't have what it takes. Your emotions enough aren't letting you."

"So I can't avenge Itami just because of it?"

"Youji only helped you because you needed it. This is different, elf. You won't have help on your own emotions and you will remember things while you're fighting. All my life as a demigoddess, I lived alone. And the reason why I accepted to help Itami back then on his aim is because he and I were almost aligned. Your alignment is based on the fact you owe so many things to him. I don't. I'm doing this for myself."

"So you think you're better just because you didn't lose anything?"

"Wrong. I lost many things. But the most I could lose was someone important. I'm not going to let that happen again. I treated you as a friend, elf. Be happy for that."

"YOU… BITCH!" Tuka then loosed the arrow onto Rory. But before the tip was able to get to Rory's forehead, another arrow hits the body of Tuka's arrow, splitting it in half and throwing it off, preventing Rory to get hurt. Her surprise brought her eyes to Yao, who's lowering her bow. "Yao?"

"That's enough." Yao said it simply while glaring at Tuka.

Rory raised an eyebrow at Yao. "Aren't you supposed to be with the rest?"

"I got bored for some reason." Yao replied it, maintaining her glare on Tuka. "And here I find an elf losing it."

Rory frowned in response. "I don't blame you. I can't let some unstable handle things for me. I can't even trust someone because this is my quest from the beginning."

"Great." Tuka muttered before she dropped her bow and turned her back before she walked. "Still inconsiderate," she muttered again.

Yao watched as Tuka walked away from this. She then looked back at Rory. "She's got a bitter point whether she'd handle it or not."

"She'll throw herself off-balance if she's not focused. And you know how her emotions run high. I've handled mine with care. She doesn't… yet."

"You'll be leaving soon, I hope?" Yao asked, not sure whose view she'll take.

"I will. Unlike others, I travel at night like it's a breeze for me too. Just remember to take care of her."

"But if she suddenly comes with you, don't blame it on us."

"Oh I won't." Rory then started walking to the camp. "It's her funeral after all." She said lastly before she left Yao's view.

 _ **2036 hours… Yao's tent…**_

Yao was taking it easy inside her tent while drinking her tea in a cup. Some things from the other side of the gate was appreciated and she gladly took some to explore some cultures, and simple objects such as what she held taught her some things.

However, she was disturbed when a dark elf grunt came to her with bad news.

"She, what?!"

 _ **Stables…**_

A female dark elf groaned in pain as she shook her head, just before Yao and two other male dark elf archers arrived. "What the hell just happened?!"

And the hurt elf had to answer. "Commander… It's that elf Luna Marceau… She just stole a spare horse."

"She took you off-guard now, didn't she?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Yao chuckled while rubbing the elf's head. "Tuka is now acting like an idiot. I think she got it from his foster father."

 _ **On the road… 2112 hours…**_

Rory is walking casually and westward on the dirt road, knowing her objective is still clear as the moonlight and stars shining down on her and the land around her. She walked without looking back, and she had confidence.

' _Still… not even Giselle can defeat the monster. Could I make a difference?_ ' Rory's thoughts ran calmly just before she heard a distance galloping behind her. ' _Wait… There wouldn't be horses except if they come from the east._ ' She widened her eyes and turned around, now seeing clearly that a blonde elf riding on horseback was riding towards her. This rather got to surprise Rory and she smiled in amusement. "That idiot…" She stopped walking, letting the elf on horseback approach.

Tuka arrived and pulled the horse to a stop, just before the horse neighed. The elf then looked at Rory, still with resolve in her heart. "I'm coming with you."

And rory giggled before she laughed, continuously for several seconds. She slowly stopped and really took a look at Tuka's determined look, with the horse and her bow and quiver with her. "You are so stupid… elf."

"Well… I think I got it from him."

"Then Youji would be proud of you." Rory then let her smile fade as the next set of words needed to be heard seriously. "But it will be dangerous. Keep that in mind."

"Do you think I came with you not knowing that?"

"I suppose not. It's still a word of caution." Rory then looked at some room behind Tuka on the horse. "Do you still have room?"

"Depends. Is the horse mad at you?" Tuka asked rhetorically, letting the demigoddess gaze at the innocent animal's eyes.

Rory was a bit amused and walked towards the horse. "I guess only time will tell from here on." She then jumped on and got behind Tuka on a seat. "Are you?"

"Same thing with me. Hyah!" Tuka got the horse to move, but not before letting the animal neigh in pride and raise its front upwards. It then got on its hooves again and galloped forward, letting the two experience speed as the horse got them moving. "I never saw you on horseback, Rory."

"So many things you haven't seen yet, but maybe we should do something together for a change once this is over."

"A race, maybe?"

"Either if I'm on a horse or not, I doubt you'll win."

"Then it's a deal, Rory. I won't lose to you." Tuka's words coincided with the sounds of galloping, a 13 year old girl's giggle, and the dirt leaving the soil of the ground.

 _ **Rory –**_ _Whether I'd find satisfaction in killing for vengeance, I'd like to know what will happen to the elf. And yes… I can't wait to see what happens._

 _Youji… Be safe and sound for me when I get you to Emloy, for you will be under my care once I turn. And I mean it. For you are a special soul. Everybody should have known that by now…_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Rory –**_ _I was staring down at it. The environment taken like a desert seemed to be hot, but it's beginning to be dark, and I was staring down, while the creature was just outside her cave. There she was… The Mystic Scorpio was glaring at me. She is responsible for the deaths of people, and it includes Youji… My Youji._

Rory smiles while Tuka looked alert at the creature now blocking the entrance to the cave. "Aren't you going to try stopping me?" Rory asked this, as if the creature knew what she said.

Tuka however didn't know Rory can speak the creature's language. "You can talk to her?"

"Knowing I talked to Hardy once and experienced some things he did, I had to study him, and it was there I found out he was going to marry me. One of the things I learned was the dialect he speaks for the creatures he keeps. This one in particular, was hard to master. I was waiting to meet The Mystic Scorpio… not that the dialogue would matter now." Rory licked her lips, seeing the creature get angry. "Yes… You want me. You want to do your old master a favor. I abandoned him."

"Are you crazy?! You're tempting her more!"

"It's the very reason she's out here… she's enraged. And I'll let her keep the rage before we go at it," Rory said just before the creature charged at her. "Like right now. Tuka!" And as Rory sprinted forward and swung her halberd for an attack just to be blocked by the creature's claws, Tuka rolls out a little distant and finds there's room for her to run into the cave. "Tuka… Find the offspring inside there!"

"But Rory…!"

"GO!" Rory shouted and pushed the creature away, as she saw Tuka enter the cave the creature owned. She smiles and glances at the creature before sprinting forward. ' _Good. I know my place, and you know yours, Hardy's fiend. This will be, my act against Hardy, to make sure HE NEVER follows me ever again. And… This is for you Youji!_ ' She jumped and flipped together with the halberd she held for extra momentum towards the top, but the creature jumps back and Rory lands with her halberd hitting the ground while she flipped forward and landed on her feet. She went on the offensive again, this time as she sprinted and swung at the creature again. "How does it feel to be challenged by someone of the same level as you do?!"

The creature growled and charged at Rory, later finding out she missed as Rory evaded by rolling. She then found her strength to speak within her rage. " _Master doesn't like me, and nobody should oppose me. Alas… they still are fools. Men. Women. Children. I will make life as I go by their deaths._ "

"Does that include killing my Youji? You killed him with your claws, breaking him into half."

" _I do not remember who I kill, Rory Mercury. I only know… I must live, and live against my old Master, I will. NOW DIE._ " The Mystic Scorpio charges again, this time extending her claws first before reaching Rory, not finding out Rory was beside her and attempted to attack with a swing of her halberd. The creature knew though, and dodged, before pouncing at Rory.

Rory blackens her lips before she swung at the creature and suddenly, purple blood came out from where the claw was once attached on the monster. She saw the claw drop on the ground, while the creature crawled back in pain. Rory laughs in amusement for this. "Ahahahaha! What's wrong? Can't keep up with one extension of your body gone?!"

" _You can't say that, as I have other tools._ "

The demigoddess plants the base of her halberd on the soil just beside her. "Yes. I don't assume you're defeated, until your body doesn't move."

" _Good._ " The Mystic Scorpio then glows brightly just before it started to reform its shape. " _For a demigoddess like you, not knowing of your own fate, you have nerve for showing at my doorstep._ " The glow eventually ended after the human figure that formed after the transformation showing her left arm is missing, has been formed with black and purple combat attire with beautiful tanned skin exposed at her abdomen, her forearms, and her face filled with anger. Her green eyes were focused towards the demigoddess. Her free arm then glowed, showing it changed into a scorpion claw adjusting to the size of her arm just before she glowed green around her body. "I applaud you, Lady Mercury. But I have a reason for living. I will not be a slave to Hardy once you're done with me."

"I don't plan to spare you."

"Then you impress me. Not only would you fulfill your own task, but I would have peace…" Eventually, she let dark aura surround her green before shadowy images left her body before they formed beside her, making smaller versions of herself in forms of her creatures. "…if you are worthy of giving me that peace."

Rory was looking at the smaller figures of the creature multiply and until there were around 20 of them around the woman controlling them. "You're going to stall?"

"No. The best I can do, is try making them your nightmare first. I know I'm incapable of close combat with my arm missing. But it doesn't mean I can't try other methods. My minions… CHARGE AND KILL THIS WRETCH."

The demigoddess expertly swung into her fighting stance. "Like I'd allow you to take advantage." And she watched as the minions approach and close in, she started swinging her halberd while she jumped out of the way as they were quite fast in closing in on her. ' _They're not her offspring. They're smaller versions of her. But they won't stop me. They never will. If killing them meant killing parts of her, that's what I'll do._ ' "You will not stop me, Mystic Scorpio!" She eventually was in mid-air and slammed her halberd towards four minions and perished. She moved on, knowing she can get through them. "If I have to kill them to kill you, I will do that, for Youji."

"Your love for a human doesn't stop, does it?!"

"Believe it… bitch." Rory's curse came before her doing a revolving halberd attack at many more of the Mystic Scorpio's minions, defeating 8 of them. It was a little surprising to the woman, seeing Rory being aggressive unlike how Hardy tells her. And Rory knows of the opponent's curiosity catching her off guard a bit. ' _That's it. Fall by being afraid of what new things I can do._ '

 _ **Meanwhile…**_ Tuka was running in the cave, hoping to see the first offspring in there as she kept her running before she slowed to just a fast walk. Carrying a torch and a bow and arrow at the same time seemed a little tiring, so she had to take it easy. ' _This is a deep cave, and she wasn't kidding. But… Is she really relying on me to draw out the offspring?_ '

 _ **Tuka –**_ _I knew what the plan is… And Rory talked to me about it._

 _ **FLASHBACK…**_

 _It wasn't as though I've forgotten, but I know it's a crazy idea._

"You want me to what..?!" Tuka asked this while she was on horseback on an early day in the desert landscape with Rory at her back. "We're about a few hours away from the Mystic Scorpio's rumored hiding spot, and you're telling me this NOW?!"

"Ufufufu… I know it seems like a crazy idea, but I know I can count on you."

"Well how do you expect me to navigate through the dark cave?! You told me that the cave is so dark."

"That's what the torch is for. It's a good thing you were able to find one." Rory said this, aware of a small torch saddled at the side of the horse's harness. "You use it to navigate around. There are only a few splits. You'll be able to find the offspring monster easily."

"And the bird seeds? I suppose they're for re-tracing my steps?"

"Exactly. Cut the little bag so it'll start releasing bird seeds from behind you. You'll know if it runs out if it stops flowing. I want everything to go to plan, elf."

"Alright… Point noted. Hah…" Tuka sighs while looking ahead, enduring the heat and noticing the sweat leaving her. "This is a little hotter than how I'm used to."

"We have enough water. Don't we?" And as Rory asked this, she looked at the canteens she had with her, and Rory noticed a disappointed face coming from the elf. "I see."

"This is bad…" Tuka mutters, later finding a rock formation with a shadowy shade and headed there.

 _ **Minutes later…**_

Tuka groaned while sitting and laying her back on the big rock, somehow less rough than how thinks she felt them. "This is going to screw us, isn't it?"

"Don't be so sure. YOU didn't bring enough water. The Mystic Scorpio at this time, is resting. We need to get to the lair before it turns dark, or she'll leave."

"I understand but… Damn… I'm tired already." Suddenly, Tuka saw a flying water bottle she'd recognize from the modern world beyond the gate just come at her. She eventually caught it and was wide-eyed that there was water seen through the transparent plastic. And as she looked at which direction it came from, she was surprised to see a fully clothed figured in a hood, seeming to be at around Rory's height. The figure beneath the clothing looked at her. And as how Tuka analyzed the eyes and the motion, the figure was a girl. "Uh… Thank you?"

"You're welcome." The young girl beneath the attire had answered, and she seemed to be just a very young teenager of sorts, like she's around Rory's appearing age as well. The figure looked at Rory, and noticed the demigoddess was looking at her. She turned away and just walked past them.

Rory however knew the figure in the attire wasn't as how she appears. "Tuka… Get comfy here." Rory instructed this to Tuka before she started following the young figure from afar.

The hooded figure knew she was being followed, and stopped walking. "There's no need to feel me as someone hostile." She turned her head to see Rory just a few feet away from her. "I've been to the modern world…"

"…but you're not from this world or the other." Rory smiled as she saw the girl in the hooded figure wince before suddenly sprinting and pointing the tip of her halberd at the figure while putting her free hand to push the figure in closer.

The hooded girl knew Rory would learn about her. ' _But… how?_ '

"Who are you?" Rory asked this, maintaining the smile she always had before she blackened her lips, after the figure took a while to answer. "Should I ask again?" She asked this, while seeing the natural green eyes from beneath the figure. "Interesting. It seems…"

The figure suddenly held the halberd and groaned before pushing it slowly and away with ease from her neck. She eventually stepped back and got off Rory's grip. "I'm not a hostile. I can assure you that. And what gave me away?"

"You think magic as I know it now is foreign to me? Let me just tell you now, since I'm still in a good mood, that magic doesn't normally flow in a living being like she's being supplied it."

"Take it easy. You're right about that part, but…"

"You seem to be carrying something that does. Nice." Rory then noticed after she praised the girl beneath the figure that the girl made a fist with her hand. "Are you annoyed you are being interrogated by a demigoddess? I doubt you don't know… since you're shady enough and suspicious since you have magic flowing through you."

"You can sense that?"

"Even with thick clothing, I tend to sense different people whenever I pass by them. And you… are no exception. Should I thank you for giving my companion the water she needs? Or should I ask further on who you are?" Rory made a tight grip on her halberd as she asked it before holding it expertly with on hand while pointing it at the mystery girl.

Tuka was looking at the two having that conversation from a distance. ' _Just… who is she?_ '

 _And I didn't ask Rory who the girl was… yet._

 _ **END OF FLASHBACK…**_

Rory kept walking as she eventually saw some light at a distance.

 _I didn't mind about the mystery girl in the attire, but I always knew she was a helper. I wouldn't be in this situation if she didn't help me. And now… I'm about to get to my goal. Then, I stopped… noticing the usual flow of bird seeds out of the bag stopped. This was it. I didn't need the bird seeds as I know I'm already nearing the offspring. I only focused on ahead, and kept walking, not aware of what I'll be finding besides the offspring…_

 _ **Back outside…**_

Rory shouted as she was falling from mid-air with her halberd in front as she swung it at the woman, and blocked it with her scorpion claw.

"You can keep attacking as much as you want, but you will not stop me!" The woman pushes Rory away before charges and starts to give Rory her combination as her body was giving a soft glow of green. Eventually, she let her scorpion tail out, and even had a sharp stinger.

Rory kept at it as she kept swinging, but found the woman quite agile. ' _This is a nice opponent… Very worthy. But I want to win. It is selfish, but I want to kill her, for killing my Youji._ '

Mystic Scorpio even used her stingers while attacking Rory with her share of strikes, seeing the demigoddess either evade or just block with her halberd. ' _It's amazing how she's able to do this. She is a demigoddess, but even SHE will not live through. I eat… kill… for my own. She has no right to change that._ ' Her green eyes glowed brighter as she later opened her mouth, and out came with blood bleeding out a set of pincers while her teeth sharpened to a point. "RRRAAGGH! I WILL KILL YOU FOR BEING A NUISANCE!"

"Try, with your arm missing!"

"Gladly. Minions… kill her!" Mystic Scorpio finally built up strength as she summoned minions to her side. All the minions then charged at Rory.

"Still relying on your pitiful minions to fight for you?" Rory then defended her by swinging her halberd, sometimes holding it with both hands at each swing or uses just one hand coming together with her jumping and evasive maneuvers. ' _She has tricks she hasn't shown yet._ '

 _ **In the cave…**_ Tuka dropped her torch at the sight she saw… seeing the nest of the Mystic Scorpio. The walls were stained with spiderwebs. Parts of the walls were in slime. The corner where the offspring should be was smaller. And like its mother, it has strong claws, and a stinger that's sharp at the tip of its tail.

"Oh… My…" Tuka only muttered this as the offspring took notice of the elf. And the scorpion offspring growled before it started running to her. ' _This is it! It noticed me!_ ' She was determined and nodded before she turned back and sprinted, aware the offspring is quite fast as it followed her. ' _Light spell…_ ' She puts her hand up as it glowed bright, illuminating her way. ' _I'm only using it now so the offspring will be very attracted to it. It'll come out, and Rory can slay it for good._ '

 _ **Rory's eyes glowed red as she jumped…**_ "Play time is over!" She flipped and swung her halberd to later find it was blocked by the Mystic Scorpio's tail. ' _W-What?! Nothing should block that! It was…! And it's stuck!_ '

"I'm more than Hardy's pet, pitiful demigoddess." And she used her free claw to attack Rory, just to see the demigoddess jump off and let go of the halberd. And it felt suddenly heavy that the weight of the halberd pulled down the tail until it crashed on the ground. She partially felt the pain from the weapon's sharpness just before she pulled her tail off the halberd and growled at the demigoddess, now on her feet empty-handed. "You are one troublesome girl."

"Watch your tongue. I lived more than how you lived. I've seen more horrors than you did. Don't underestimate me, as I have never done the same to you. Can you die now? I'm bored."

The words Rory uttered incited wrath in the Mystic Scorpio. "I WILL EAT YOU ALIVE!" And she sprinted, letting the sharp teeth of her mouth together with its pincers open wide as she charged with weapons hot coming at Rory. The demigoddess then evaded strikes from the woman before she held her claw with both hands, then spun-kicked the woman's head, then her shoulder just before she used her legs to lock behind the woman's head, and trapped her head between them. Her neck was being strangled while Rory pulled her claw to prevent it from moving. ' _I'm being choked! And I can't move my arm!_ '

"Do not be so sure I can't do things without my halberd. I've done dirtier things."

The woman knew she had one more way and raised her tail with its dark and sharp tip targeted at Rory, just before she was about to strike than arrow glowing blue suddenly hits the tip and shatters it. "RRRRAGGH!" The woman shouted in pain as Rory lets go and sees the woman struggling to stand and witnessing the tip of her tail shattered by a mere arrow. She noticed ice was just around her tail. "What trickery is this?!"

Tuka ran out of the cave with the bow held at one hand. "It's called succumbing to the cold, fiend. Rory! Here it comes!"

And Rory looked towards the cave to see the Mystic Scorpio's offspring lured out. "Good. I was waiting for you."

" _ **NO! MY CHILD!**_ " The Mystic Scorpio shouts, not noticing Rory sprinted and finally recovered her halberd.

Eventually, Rory positions just in front of an angry offspring scorpion. "Be closer to your death, youngling." She then sprinted and skidded before spinning her halberd. "Because this is your end! HAHAHAHA!" And as the sharpness of her halberd hits the offspring, she started doing a combo of horizontal and vertical swings, dealing great damage to the offspring as purple blood was being spilled. The offspring tried to evade, but kept getting hit each time as Rory was slowing it down. "This is your last light… dear offspring."

"NOOOOOO!" The woman kneeled as she saw her own offspring being attacked and finally being cornered. ' _She… She has no honor! The whole time, she'd kill my child…?!_ '

"Goodbye… youngling." Rory then brings her halberd down one last time before slamming her halberd down to the scorpion offspring just before it hits, and the creature stops moving. "And life leaves."

" _ **Uhh…**_ " Tuka wasn't believing what she's seeing, as the womanly figure of the Mystic Scorpio started to growl, and her body glowed green, while her amputated arm was suddenly starting to grow back. "Uh… Rory…?!"

And Rory turns to see the woman angry as she got on her feet. "Back again?"

" _ **You… You… YOU ARE A MONSTER IN THE MAKING!**_ " And the woman known as the Mystic Scorpio morphed her human arm into a claw, just before her tail glowed purple and black, later pulling out another tail with another sharp tip ready to sting. The broken stinger on her other tail repaired itself. A mix of green and dark glow surrounded her body, while her anger was defining the strength of her image. "YOU HAVE AWAKENED MY TRUE SELF. BASK IN MY APPEARANCE, FOR IT WILL BE YOUR LAST…"

" _ **SPARA!**_ " A female teen's voice shouted the word just before three shell rounds came towards the monstrous woman, later hitting her and made three explosions at the target. The holder of the Cannon-Rifle raised her weapon, glancing at the smoke she made from her strong rounds. "I expected as much."

Rory was surprised. She was seeing a figure from afar holding a cannon of sorts but shaped like a rifle. She then sees the figure lower it. The female figure was at the same height as the girl she saw from the desert. She wore a white themed outfit, with a notable white sunhat, a green gem of sorts at her wrist, and the chain armor on her torso. The black hair under the white sunhat and the green eyes were the only things she needed to describe and identify the girl. "It's… you."

"Sure it's me." The girl replied this with a smile towards Rory. "And I always knew who you are, Rory the Reaper. It was nice to see you back at the hot zone." She then changed and morphed her Cannon-Rifle to a white opened umbrella before putting it on her shoulder. "You're breaking a sweat."

"It's worth it, since she puts up a fight. Did you have to kill her though?"

" _ **I AM NOT DEAD!**_ " The woman shouted before the black smoke suddenly cleared and she was seen intact. She growled as she looked at the girl who shot her. "You dare interfere?!"

The white-themed girl morphed her umbrella into some sort of rapier and held it with one hand. "I dare, because you're nothing but a pest."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"

"Enough. It's time your existence is forever rid." The girl then ran at quite a speed just before she saw the Mystic Scorpio fire acid rounds at her. She went left and right, evading the rounds before she got so close enough that she swung her rapier. But she was quite relieved it was only one swing to defeat to the monstrous woman, as she saw Rory did the same from the other direction with her halberd and winked at her.

The two swung their weapons and cuts the woman into thirds before purple blood sprayed around the dead monster before finally being split up.

Rory then puts her halberd on her shoulder and looks at her handiwork together with the mystery girl. "Well done. You have quite the art of slicing evenly. Should I thank you? Or should I ask one more time and expect I never get my answer?"

"Or you'll do what?"

"…what I promised back then." Rory smirked at what she meant…

 _ **FLASHBACK…**_

"Do me a favor." Rory said this while still basking in the heat of the hot day in the same wide desert, now with the mystery hooded girl, back turned and about to leave. "If you'll be indeed helping me in the future, what should I call you?"

Beneath the hood, the mystery girl smiled and turned to Rory. "Promise me you'll be hearing it from my lips when you threaten to kill me. I'll tell there, and then. And that… is a promise." And without seeing Rory's suspicion, she turned and walked away, knowing the promise will be kept…

"And you'll be cut in half if you don't tell." Rory mutters this, before turning her back to Rory.

 _ **END OF FLASHBACK…**_

Rory was wide-eyed. "You… heard that…?"

"There are many things you don't know. But this… I'll tell you. I'm a rough wanderer. I enjoy blood as much as you do, maybe. So trust me that I'm not as I appear. So anyway… My name is Janeth. I came here to look for… interesting people. Thing is, I've traveled different places, and different timelines. I've visited the world connected to this one, through the gate. But I'm neither from that world, or this one."

"I figured as much, Janeth. I've never seen you before. Plus, the way you fight… It's not something I can also see from the other side of the gate."

"That's true. The kind of thing I do is combat, but not as others would expect. I'm a magical girl, supposedly fighting beings of darkness like witches and demons. But I've acquired ways to travel to different worlds and timelines, and different realities. You'll find me rather a little complicated, since I'm a mix of different experiences in one."

"I see. That makes you both dangerous, and someone who could be interesting enough."

"I'm glad you want to study me for a little. You'll know things, but your patience is counted well in your 900 years of living. Know this: You'll have plans. Go for them. And once you make it into reality… I'll be seeing you. I'll know EXACTLY what it is, since I feel it."

"The future's in your grasp, isn't it?" Rory later laughed at it. "Hahaha… You are making this very complicated. But then, I'm understanding where you came from. You might be full of surprises but…"

"I know you won't plan against me. I trust you as much as you would trust me, Rory. Itami's death wasn't in vain, since you have slain the Mystic Scorpio. But I must tell you that there's more ahead, for not just you, but your path as a goddess."

"Oh? That means you'll be seeing me while I'm a goddess then."

"I'll find my way there." Janeth winked just before morphing her rapier into her white umbrella. "I've taken down goddesses before. But you… You're a mystery. I never went against you. I did, but that was a time when I wasn't seeing your true potential."

"Another reality."

"You're catching on."

"Then I'm sure to like and find out what you're made of one day. Very well. I'll wait for you… Janeth."

"Good." Janeth then opens some sort of doorway in mid-air, described to be like a portal to another place. "I wanna be in your interest, Rory. You've done well know. We'll see what happens on the rest of your life and your time as a goddess. Until the time I visit again, remember I'll be watching events as you go."

"I'm sure you will. Farewell… rough wanderer." Rory waved simply before seeing Janeth walk at the ripped doorway and cross in it, before it closed vertically. "She's an interesting character."

"Um…" Tuka was still wondering who the girl was. "Who is Janeth? And does she know the future or something?"

"The way she fights and shows her prowess, and considering how she speaks… she knows."

"But… What do we do?"

"We don't do anything. We've finally killed the Mystic Scorpio." Rory then looked at the sliced up body of the woman, known as the Mystic Scorpio, now laying dead cut into thirds with her purple blood stained all over her body. "It's a shame Hardy will see me become a goddess, while he gets insulted with his pet now dead. Now he'll never marry me, while I do whatever I please as an immortal."

"Well… If you're happy…" Tuka tried to see it Rory's way, but she still frowned knowing the Mystic Scorpio is dead. ' _It changed nothing, did it?_ '

"I'm happy, but you're not. I can understand a little of sorrow since you experienced it too much. You think you killed both the offspring and the creature who killed Youji? I did you a favor. But you… You can grow stronger, even without my help. Soon… I will transcend, and you'll continue to live for as long as you can."

"How do I know I'll move on?"

"You don't." Rory then glanced towards Tuka. "You'll just have to do that and see what happens. Life can screw you up, or it can work for you. That's how I observed a lot of you and saw how you lived. And you will do the same. So… Find your way from there, will you?" And she eventually started to walk just past Tuka and away from the scene. "Let's go home, elf… at least YOUR home. My job here is done."

Tuka turns to see Rory walk away, with wise words remembered. ' _Move on and try being happy, huh?_ ' After she thought of it, she sighed and started to follow Rory from a distance.

 _ **At a place full of fog…**_

Itami didn't know what happened. Something so much as a big hit took him to black out. ' _What happened?_ ' He asked this to himself with his thoughts coming as he slowly attempted to open his eyes. And as he would expect from his weak body, his vision was somehow blurred. He was noticing there was some sort of fog around him. Then he noticed his head was still. His vision was later clearing up and noticed a close figure was in front of his face before the figured neared and the girl suddenly kissed him. He then blushed and was too surprised to finally recognize the black hair, the red eyes, which belonged to… ' _Rory…?!_ '

* * *

 ** _AND... THAT is the end of another chapter which I find... AMAZING!_** ** _Yes... Janeth Maria Ferrano, an original OC which was inspired from an author in fan fiction, will appear minorly to help out in the Cross-Worlders series. She's a magical girl. And the rest? You'll find her information on my profile._**

 _And yes... I think that's about it. ;) Leave reviews or PM me for any suggestions, or just plain comments on the bonus story. Really, this is a story that tells of what Rory's doing before... Ah, you'll find out when you look at the Cross-Worlders story yourself. And also, check out Jillian Victoria's OC story as well! That won't take long like this one too._

 _DONE! OFFICIAL! But... there's a next chapter for the epilogue so don't miss it! ;)_


	4. NOTE

NOPE! Don't even think about it! I am NOT on hiatus. Unless I say, don't you dare think that I am on hiatus.

Fellow strikers, I was enjoying myself in playing Star Wars: The Old Republic, and ARMA III. Don't say I like being an addict in games. I'm just exploring different things.

Besides that, I've been doing crazy RP's with two authors in FF, and IT WAS AWESOME! :D The other author took a break for a while, and the other author and I have an RP that's still alive, thanks to the times.

And oh... Christmas is coming once again! I got plans to update the Sonicbird series first. After that, I'll do rotating updates on all of my fanficts. I suggest you guys PM me for suggestions of what my next updates would be, and how often they'll be made. Consider my position as author though: I can't write all the time.

Enjoy your Christmas days and whatever others call it in other religions. Smile, fellow Striker. ;)


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